


The Legend of God Eden

by nigiyakapepper



Category: Inazuma Eleven
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, Non-Graphic Violence, Origin Story
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-01-12
Updated: 2013-01-12
Packaged: 2017-11-25 05:44:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/635712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nigiyakapepper/pseuds/nigiyakapepper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A reimagining of how Shuu came to be.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Legend of God Eden

Once upon a time, there was a small island that had a village with a curious custom. They made important decisions using games. Two teams kicked around a tightly woven straw ball and whoever shot it into their opponent’s basket first won. The sponsor behind the winning team made the decision. The sponsor behind the losing team had to make a sacrifice to the gods.

Who was the next village chief? The candidates held a game and the loser sacrificed two cows. Who was the best suitor for the wealthy merchant’s daughter? The families held a game and the suitor who lost sacrificed five chickens. A man accused another of stealing their property. The trial was held through a game and the one who lost sacrificed his wife’s hair. A storm was blowing through the island, devastating houses and livelihoods. The village leaders drew a lottery and the families chosen held a game. The members of the family that lost sacrificed the pinkies of their left hands. Only then did the winds subside.

People lived in wariness of the games, in fear even. But they knew they were necessary and did not question them. It was an honor to be chosen to prepare a sacrifice. Not one child, adult, man or woman learned to kick a ball out of the happiness of their hearts.

This curious custom ended during a terrible three year famine. It ended along with the village itself, all because of a young boy.

The young boy was called Shuu. He was no stranger to the games. He hated them. He lost his parents to them, leaving him to take care of his bedridden grandmother, his little sister and their fields. He was considered the head of his household and attended meetings with the village leaders and the other heads of families.

“We have not had a good harvest in years,” spoke the village chief in one such meeting. “Our families are starved and dying and our livestock is being eaten alive by disease.”

There was a solemn silence.

“The elders, however, have read the signs in smoke,” the Chief continued. “The gods want a Sacrificial Game.”

Murmurs swept through the crowd. The atmosphere grew uneasy. Sacrificial Games were rarely ever held, reserved for the most dire and desperate of decisions and involved the sacrifice of human life.

“We will not draw a lottery for this,” the Chief said. “The families have been chosen.”

A tense pause, an intake of breath, held for as long as possible.

“Taki.”

Color drained from the father’s face.

“Shuu.”

“What?” Shuu looked up. The news took time to sink.

“These families,” continued the Chief. “have been chosen for their daughters—the kindest, most chaste, pure of heart, young.” He met the eyes of each head of household.

“Be honored to have been chosen.”

But Shuu did not hear anything past his own name. The scenery swayed around him. Sound tapered off to a horrid white noise. Nausea, more than any other feeling, threatened to spill over his throat.

He didn’t remember what happened afterward. Before he knew it, he was running home as fast as he could, till his legs ached and his lungs burned, and collapsed sobbing into his grandmother’s outstretched arms.

— - —

“Shie is worried,” his grandmother said, gently stroking his hair. “You did not come to dinner.”

“‘M not hungry.” Shuu mumbled, curled up beside her.

“She ate alone you know.”

There was silence before Shuu asked a question with a small, quivering voice.

“Why her?”

His grandmother’s hand stilled.

“Why her?” he asked once more, burying his face into the sheets. “Why couldn’t it be me? Why is it always our family? I…I hate the gods!”

“Ssh,” said his grandmother. “Do not hate the gods.” Her voice was kind and gentle and always eased Shuu’s heart. “The gods gave us life. It is only right that we give it back.”

Shuu looked up at his grandmother, eyes wide, swollen and glazed with tears. “How do I tell her?”

Shuu’s grandmother smiled at him tenderly. “In the morning, love, after breakfast, when dawn is at its sweetest. You know she will be honored to be a sacrifice.”

Shuu did not want to believe it.

— - —

He felt small and alone.

Powerless, like the world was against him. His composure was hanging by a thread. He had lost his parents, and now he was going to lose him precious, precious little sister.

In his despair, he was visited by the shadows. They tugged at his heart and whispered in his ears.

His team only had to win, right? No matter what the means…

Shuu flung the blankets off himself and hopped off the bed. Reaching under it, he pulled out a worn box with a fat pouch inside. They were his savings—gold pieces that his parents’ customers gave him for helping out at the market, pieces he dived for in the shallower parts of the sea, pieces the neighbors gave them after his parents died.

Shuu knew that the team playing for the opposing family was in need of money. He could pay them to lose.

Would…would this be enough?

He stayed up for the rest of the night, holding the box in his hands, praying it would save his sister’s life.

— - —

The deal was sealed.

Shuu’s team won and Taki’s daughter was burned at the stone altar. Shuu looked on with foreboding in his gut. Three days later, they were beset by terrible plagues.

Locusts rampaged the pitiful fields. Already sick cattle keeled over and died, already halfway through decomposing and meat far from edible. The lakes and rivers dried up, the seas became boiling hot and the sun angrier than ever.

A council was hastily called. The elders were in a panic.

“What’s going on?” they cried. “We followed the signs!”

And then a man came running from the village. Shuu recognized him as one of the players from his opponent’s team. There was a crazed look on his face. He was babbling and sounded insane.

“We’re sorry! We’re sorry! We didn’t win the game!”

The village Chief rounded on him. “What did you say?”

The man pointed a shaky finger at Shuu’s face. “That boy! That boy paid us to lose!”

The Chief looked livid. With a booming voice, he looked at Shuu and fear gripped his heart.

“Seize his sister!”

“ _NO!_ “

The fear turned into terrible dread, washing over his system like acid. He watched in wide eyed horror as the guards brought his sister to the congregation, followed by villagers who learned of the happenings through rapid gossip.

“Big brother?”

“ _Shie!_ ” Shuu lunged toward her but was violently seized by his forearms by two large guards.

“Your brother bought your game with gold!” the Chief declared. “He brought this plague upon all of us!”

Shuu cast his eyes on the ground. He could not face her. His heart churned with guilt, anger and regret. His body burned with shame. But Shie, dear sweet Shie placed her cool hand on his cheek and lifted his chin.

“Thank you brother,” she said with a lovely, sad smile. “For I know how much you love me.”

She gently slipped a misanga on his balled fist before she was roughly grabbed by the shoulders and brought to the stone altar.

“No! What are you going to do to her?! Shie!  _Shie!_ ” His screams were drowned by the chants of the villagers.

His sister was stripped in front of the elders, dressed in white then adorned with flowers. Her neck was slashed with a Holy Knife, her body cut open, smoked and the signs read.

The elders eyed Shuu, who had sunk to his knees, tears spilling from his dazed, empty eyes, the prayer of his sister’s name still on his lips.

“Stone him.”

He tried to crawl toward her body but he was held in place by spears. Angry villagers closed in on him, holding rocks. Some even placed pebbles in the hands of younger children. He did not see them. All he saw was his sister’s open palm.

“You killed my daughter!” It was one of Taki’s family. A stone hit him on the side of the face.

 _It’s painful_ , Shuu thought. He could hear the breaking of his bones echoing inside his head. Searing pain overwhelmed his body. He felt powerless…

_If only I had more power._

A stone hit the back of his head. His vision swam.

_If only I had more power._

Blood pooled in his mouth.

_…to protect my sister._

Shuu’s body fell to the ground, bruised blue, red and black.

_If only I were stronger!_

— - —

His soul was pried open, stretched out and held over flames. His arms were heavy, dripping with blood. Screams assaulted his ears. He was hungry, terribly hungry…

He entered the next house. A family was huddled against the wall, pleading for their lives. He spilled their blood and ate them, and moved onto the next house.

The nightmare wasn’t over. The entire village was on fire, set by the villagers in hopes of smoking the demon away, but to no avail. On top of all the catastrophes and chaos, they were being slaughtered one by one.

Soon the demon came to his last house.

There was an elderly grandmother lying on the bed. He approached her, claws raised and ready to kill.

“Shuu…” breathed the grandmother.

The demon froze. She took his hand in her withered ones.

“What have you become?”

With that she expired, and with a grievous howl, Shuu’s soul was calmed.

— - —

There were those who survived. Fearing that the the wrath of the demon would reawaken, they built a new stone altar and fashioned statues in the likeness of Shuu and his sister.

They continued to offer them sacrifices. Blood of animals seeped through stone and soil, choking Shuu who lay beneath.

He was tired.

So very tired.

Centuries passed and people ceased to live on the island. Forest and vegetation grew wild and vivid green, nourished by the sun, the seas, the wind and a thirst to survive, to live. It was a plea. A warning.

You need power to protect the ones you love.

The island soon became the location of God Eden.

**to be continued**

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was edited from its first version posted on [Tumblr](http://nigiyakapepper.tumblr.com/post/39750116417/the-legend-of-god-eden-part-1-inaele-shuu-centric).


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